CREDE Standards

What strategies really work for English Language Learners? According to Dr. Roland Tharp, from the Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence (CREDE), he expresses that there are five strategies that teachers should use to become more successful at reaching their students, particularly students who are learning English. I feel that the most important standard to focus on as a teacher is Dr. Tharp's first standard, teachers and students working together. It is imperative that teachers form good relationships with their students. Furthermore, students and teachers should work together to enhance their learning. Students cannot learn everything on their own; teachers cannot teach everything on their own and expect students to just get it. There has to be a team approach to learning. In my classroom, I have many students who are very dependent on adults; they seek adult attention constantly.

I have been reading about various strategies to help students work toward helping themselves while still working with them to achieve this independence. One strategy I found useful while reading 50 Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners by Herrell & Jordan was to have the students brainstorm ideas as a group of how to seek help from others appropriately. After the group brainstorming session, the students and teacher work together to achieve these goals. The students tally each time they use a strategy discussed in the brainstorming session and each time they do not. Then the group reconvenes and discusses their progress. The teacher and student collaborative learning is extremely beneficial with this lesson.